Remember That Time
by IceDynamiteDragonflyStars
Summary: Fluffy short stories containing pretty much every character, pairing and genre possible, so there's something in here for everyone. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. Welcome to my second AF fic. (I deleted the first, if you're wondering.) So, this will be a collection of oneshots. Every one will have a different plot, genre and pairing. Today's is Artemis and Holly, enjoy! It's quite cliché, I apologise for that.**

**WARNING: The following contains cliché, overused, pointless, cheesy fluff. Reader discretion is advised. (Sorry, always wanted to say that.)**

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><p>"Remember that time when we rescued a lemur? Or the one when we battled demons in Limbo?"<p>

"No. Sorry."

"Nothing at all?" Holly sighed, resting her head in her hands. She had been trying to find a way to get Artemis's memory back for three months now, and he still couldn't remember her, or Opal, or Mulch. He could barely remember his own parents, with just a few foggy memories. They had tried everything to jog his memory. Pictures, simulations, No1 had even come back from the moon early to try and help. All to no avail. Artemis still had no recollection of anything. Holly sighed. "Okay. I'm going to see if anybody's found any cures or anything yet.''

"Alright. I shall see you later then, Captain Short?" That was another thing. He had stopped calling her Holly. She was a stranger to him now. She walked out of the room, down the hall to the Argon Clinic's cafeteria. Dr. Argon, Butler, Mulch, Foaly, No1, Juliet and Artemis's family were sitting at one of the tables.

Holly slid into the vacant seat between Foaly and Beckett. "Got anything?"

The centaur shook his head. "Nope. So far, nobody has found any cure for memory loss. Apparently only time will fix it. You could jog his memory, but we've tried that."

Holly nodded. "Dr. Argon?" She didn't really trust the man, but he was an expert, after all.

The gnome shook his head. "He's right."

Holly sighed again and helped herself to a cheese toastie. "No1?"

"He is. His memory will be restored either by time or maybe, if we managed to recreate an important memory, he might get them all back."

Holly looked up. "Important memories... Anyone got any ideas?"

Butler frowned. "The day he discovered the People? That could work."

"It could. When was that?"

"No idea. I guess he only discovered that they definitely existed that day in Ho-Chi-Min City, but he believed in them long before that. So maybe it mightn't work after all. But maybe if we found that sprite..?''

"No. You gave her her power to fly back. She could be in Southern Argentina for all we know."

Butler sighed. "Okay. Well, I'm going to bed. I'll try and think of any other memories, and get back to you in the morning."

Holly nodded. "Night." She looked around. "Anybody have anything else?"

No1 stood up. "I'm going to bed as well, but I will call Qwan and Qweffor and see if they know anything." The others in the room gradually left as well, until only Holly was left, chewing the crust of her sandwich. She decided to check in on Artemis before leaving. She needed sleep as well. Commander Kelp would kill her of she overslept and was late again. She padded down the dark hall, footsteps echoing in the emptiness. Artemis's room was dark as well. Holly poked her head in. The Mud Boy was asleep, lying on his bed snoring quietly. Holly tiptoed over.

"Why can't you remember?" She bent over and gently touched her lips to his. Artemis didn't react. Holly sighed and walked out.

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><p>Holly was awoken at 6:14 am by her phone ringing. She picked it up, groggily typing in her passcode. (0109. Points to anyone who knows why) It was Artemis. She quickly pressed the 'answer' button.<p>

"Holly?" Holly's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't called her that in nine months. "Holly. I remember. Everything."

"H-how?"

"I don't know. I just had a dream. We were in the gorilla cage, and you kissed me. When I woke up, I could remember everything."

Holly was grinning from ear to ear. "I'll be right over. It's nice to have you back."

"It's nice to _be _back."

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><p><strong>Okay, I realise it was short and <em>incredibly <em>cliché, but I felt like writing it. I hope you enjoyed it, please review!**


	2. It's a deal

**Hi! HUGE thanks to GiGi Babineaux, greenpineapple and ibliny for reviewing. And yes, 0109 is Artemis's birthday, virtual high five to everyone who got that! And a doughnut (0). That there was a doughnut, if you're wondering. **

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:**

**I will _not _be able to update for the next twelve days, because I will be visiting family in England and will probably not have access to a computer. If I do, you still can't expect many updates as I'll probably be quite busy.**

**So, this chapter will be about how Merv and Scant met Opal, and I'm pleased to say it's not as cliché as the last.**

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><p>Opal Koboi stepped out of her craft, which she had parked in front of the Argon Clinic. She was there to inspect some of her own machinery that had acted up, electrocuting one of the janitors or something. Dr. Argon rushed out to greet her. "Miss Koboi."<p>

"Hello, Dr. Argon."

"Come in, come in."

Opal followed the gnome inside. The clinic was just as she remembered; over the top, extravagant, looking more like a stately home than a mental hospital. Dr. Argon led her into his office. Opal sat down in the plush red velvet armchair facing his desk. Dr. Argon sat down across from her in his swivel chair. "Anything to drink, Miss Koboi?"

"No. I'm on a tight schedule here. Please just tell me what seems to be the matter, I will try and fix or replace the machine, and then I really must leave."

"Alright, I'll show you. Come on."

Opal followed him down the hall. He led her into a small room to the left. A short pixie was frowning at a machine, trying to navigate the mass of wires at the back. Opal recognised the both the pixie and the machine. The machine was a device she'd created about two years ago, used to regulate brainwaves. Very useful in a mental clinic. The pixie was either Mervall or Descant Brill. She couldn't tell which. They had been on a talk show she'd seen recently. Opal walked over to have a look. "What seems to be the problem?"

Mervall or Descant looked up. "Well, Merv was cleaning this, and suddenly it just... blew."

"I see. Is your brother here?"

"He should be back from lunch break any minute."

"Well, I can't wait until _any minute, _so I'll just question you." said Opal, kneeling down to peer at the tangled wires. "What was he using to clean?"

"Uhm... Oklahoma, I think."

"I thought so. Remind him to use spray next time. I try to make these watertight, but this is an old model. I will have to take it back." She looked at Dr. Argon. "I'll have an upgrade sent to you within the week. Now I really must be on my way. I'll show myself out."

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><p>Merv walked down the hall, whistling a catchy tune under his breath. Suddenly his feet slid out from under him. With a muffled yell, he thudded onto the floor. He lay there for a second, winded. This was really not his week. First electrocution, now this. Obviously nothing serious, but he was in a bad mood. He got up, brushed himself off, and looked down to see what he had slipped on. It was a piece of paper, covered in diagrams and words in large, loopy handwriting. He frowned. What was this? His eyes widened in surprise. It was a plot to take over the world. Something about capturing a lemur... He would have to tell Scant about this.<p>

He jumped, hearing the click of high heels against the floor. Opal Koboi walked round the corner. Of course. She was coming today, to see why he had been electrocuted. "What have you got there?" He jumped again.

"Oh, a few sketches I found. Doesn't look like anything important." Opal knew she had to go, she had a meeting to attend to, but she was curious. She looked over his shoulder at the drawings and instantly recognised her own handwriting.

"Hey! That's mine!" She exclaimed, grabbing it out of his hand.

"Oh, uh, sorry."

She narrowed her dark brown eyes at him suspiciously. "How much of that did you see?"

Mervall decided he should come clean. "All of it." She glared even more.

_He has potential, _she thought, _but how do I know he won't blab? _Coming to a conclusion, she cleared her throat. "Alright. I have decided you can help me."

"Help you." It sounded like more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. Now you know my plans, it's either that or I kill you."

Mervall gulped. "What do I get in return?"

"The Barbados."

"Yes. The Barbados. You can have it when I take over the world."

"What about Scant?"

"He is perfectly welcome to help as well."

"And if the plan fails?"

She smiled up at him almost flirtatiously. Almost. "Trust me. It can't fail."

He smiled back. "It's a deal."

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><p><strong>So, what'cha think? There were some hints of MervallOpal there, but I like the pairing, okay? Also, remember to check out my sister, PixiePeacockPOW. She just got an account today and isn't operational yet, but will be publishing incredibly random Merv and Scant stories sometime soon. (We like Merv and Scant, okay?)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! I'm not dead! Sorry for not updating! It wasn't because I forgot this story, I spent the whole holiday trying to get ideas, but that was the issue: I had none. But I do now, so... Yeah.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all are AWESOME! **

**This chapter was inspired by the song 'Lighthouse' by G.R.L. It's a great song, please check it out! Also, my deepest sympathies to them, as they've just lost a member by suicide. (The song was written in memory of her, actually.) So yeah, R.I.P., Simone Battle.**

**Finally, this is set about, say, twenty years after the last book, so Artemis is in his mid thirties, and Butler is about eighty.**

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><p><em>When the night gets cold<em>

_And the lights go out _

_The sun is gone behind the clouds_

_When you feel lost_

_Then I'll reach out_

_To guide you home with my lighthouse_

~G.R.L.,_ Lighthouse_

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><p>Artemis had never expected this. Sure, he knew Butler was getting old, and would, at some point, die. But he had never really expected that point to come. He always imagined the two would die together in some sort of epic shooting match with a powerful enemy. In reality, it had been a rather normal day. Butler had made the Fowls' dinner and eaten it with them. Afterwards the family had called Beckett, who was now training to be a bodyguard in Japan. Then he and Artemis had videochatted Holly, who assured them all was well in Haven. The three had talked for a while, then Butler had gone to bed.<p>

He never woke up. Artemis had come into his room at half nine, feeling slightly concerned as he was _never _up this late. After a quick examination Artemis had come to the conclusion that Butler had simply died peacefully in his sleep of old age.

As per Irish tradition, everyone with the slightest connection to the Fowl or Butler family turned up to the funeral to offer sympathy, but Artemis wanted none. It was the best way to go, they said. He didn't feel a thing. But Artemis didn't care _how_ he died. He cared _that _he'd died. Butler had been laid to rest in a small graveyard on top of a sea cliff, very near where he'd spent three years waiting for Artemis to return.

Artemis stayed at the graveside long after everyone had left. Juliet and her two daughters, Butler's nieces, had stayed with him for a while, but they'd left a few hours ago to grieve with the rest of the Butler family. So it was just him. His eyes skimmed over the gravestone.

_Domovoi Butler, _it read, _Brother, protector and friend to the People__. _Artemis had chosen the last one. It had confused everyone, but he knew what it meant. He sighed, listening to the waves crash and hiss against the rocks and lighthouse at the very edge of the cliff. In a way, he mused, Butler was like a lighthouse. Strong, bravely facing the wind and sea, never failing, for that would mean certain death. A guide, as well, ready to lead Artemis home when he went astray. A landmark, something to look out for against the sharp grey rocks, clouds and ocean. He was a landmark in Artemis's life.

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><p><strong>I know, it was terribly short, and sort of came out more ButlerArtemis than I meant. It was going to have Holly, but I didn't really know how to end that, so I left it with this little drabble. Sorry. However, on the upside, you can expect more frequent updates now.**


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